A Different Beginning
by Remus Longbottom
Summary: What if Sirius was insistent on taking Harry? What would have happened? AU
1. Chapter 1

Sirius walked slowly towards the smoldering remains of the house, terrified of what he would face inside, terrified that Peter had betrayed them. A pop interrupted Sirius from his musings, and he was met by a familiar face.

"Hagrid?" He asked, wondering the purpose of the half-giant at the Potter's final resting place.

"Aye," replied the man, shaking of the dizziness from his portkey, "I'm here on 'eadmaster's orders, I'm suppose' to collect Harry and bring him his relatives." The large man continued with a sniffle, as they walked into the house, each leaning on the other for support. This comment snapped the forlorn Sirius out of his stupor, as he reared up mightily and pointed his wand at Hagrid, a curse waiting on the tip of his tongue.

"Now you'll do no such thing!" Sirius exclaimed vehemently, pushing past Hagrid to enter the nursery, "I'm the boys godfather, and with James and Lily gone, he'll need me in his life!"

"I'm mighty sorry Sirius, but it's Dumbledore's orders."

"Well you can tell Dumbledore to stuff his wand up his arse for all I care! Lily's relatives were horrible, there is a bloody reason that Harry has never seen them!" Sirius lifted Harry up carefully, pointing his wand at Hagrid as he retreated from the house, crying mightily. Sirius walked back into the hallway, and began,

"Hagrid," he called out hoarsely, "take my motorbike, I won't need it now." And with a flourish of his wand and a quiet pop, Sirius Black was gone. 

At the Dursley household at Number Four, Privet Drive, Albus Dumbledore was growing impatient. He had asked Hagrid to bring him the boy, but still, the half-giant had not showed. Dumbledore was interrupted from his musings as a roar broke the Little Whinging silence and Professor Minerva McGonagall gasped next to him,

"Hagrid could not have brought the boy in that contraption, could he have?"

"I trust Hagrid with my life Minerva," Dumbledore answered serenely, adjusting his glasses to better see Hagrid.

"Erm, Professor," Hagrid began uneasily, fidgeting on his motorbike, "I ran into Sirius at Godric's Hollow, and he took young Harry."  
"Good riddance," Professor McGonagall said, "Albus, I have told you, there cannot be a family that hates magic more than these muggles."  
"But, the blood wards…" Dumbledore murmured, lost in his own world, "Wait, Hagrid, did you say that Sirius Black took the boy?"  
"Yessir, he did.." replied Hagrid, looking confused,

"Hagrid, Sirius Black was the Potter's Secret Keeper, he betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort!" Gasps were heard as Dumbledore took out his wand, "Where could he have gone?"  
"Albus," interjected McGonagall worriedly, "Check Pettigrew and Remus's houses, the four of them were inseparable in school, and the two of them might not be aware of Black's betrayal.

At that moment in southern Wales, a haggard looking Sirius Black showed up on the front door of a small cottage.

"Remus!" Sirius cried, tears flowing freely down his face. As he heard no response, he slowly continued inside, looking around corners. As he entered the sitting room he found a Death Eater on the couch, Sirius walked over and prodded the body. Dead. He gasped audibly, and clutched little Harry closer into his chest.

"Come to finish me off, have you?" A low growl reverberated throughout the room, sending chills into the very being of Sirius.

"Moony!" Sirius yelled, turning around slowly, crying and embracing his old friend as Remus Lupin emerged from a corner.

"I'm sorry for the threats Sirius, but I was attacked almost right after I heard about James and Lily, and I couldn't get over there to hel-"

"Remus, listen to me," Sirius interrupted, waving down Remus's protests, "Wormtail betrayed us to Voldemort, he was the spy, we made him the Secret Keeper to fool the Death Eaters, and instead we got played in turn. I need to keep Harry here for a while, and I am going to go after Wormtail and kill him."

"I'll come too," Remus said, "he betrayed the pack, we'll kill him together."

"No!" Sirius said dejectedly, someone has to look after Harry, and, I have a score to settle with Peter." He smiled deviously at that point.

"Fine." Remus conceded.

At that moment, Albus Dumbledore was apparating around Britain, hoping for the best and fearing for the worst. He walked into to the safe house of Peter Pettigrew and sighed sadly. The house was clean, untouched. It appeared that Black had taken the poor duelist by surprise, giving Peter no chance to fight. He began to sit down, wondering how he had gone so wrong, how he had allowed a Gryffindor prankster and mischief-maker to walk down the same path as Tom Riddle had done, so many years ago. Dumbledore soon got up however, as there was one more of Black's friends to attend to.

"Who's there?" Remus growled as the door to his lowly home squeaked open.

"It is I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, my Patronus is a Phoenix and my sister's name was Ariana." came a voice as the door opened fully.

"Ah, Dumbledore," Remus sighed in relief, "I thought that you were a Death Eater."

"Never my boy, never." replied Dumbledore as he sat down heavily, "Terrible news about the Potter's, and the betrayer, Sirius Black has taken Harry Potter!"

"The betrayer?" Remus asked confusedly

"Ah yes," explained the wizened old man, "the Potter's performed the Fidelius Charm on my suggestion, I trust you know how it works?" Remus murmured assent and Dumbledore continued his tail. "Lily and James chose Black as their Secret Keeper. Sirius Black betrayed the Potter's to Voldemort." The stunned Remus slowly took a seat as well.

"What?" Remus asked incredulously, "Professor, Sirius came by here earlier to drop Harry off," he gestured to the lump on his lap, almost invisible the the lack of light, "He told me that Peter was the Secret Keeper and that the Potter's switched at the last second to fool Voldemort."  
"What?" Dumbledore asked, not believing the statement.

"It's true Professor," Remus said, "Sirius told me that he was going to Portobello Road to head him off."  
"Remus, if this is true, then I would be most pleased, but I believe that in a moment of remorse, Black left Harry here. As a last thank you to his old friends I believe." Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Well, I must be going my boy, thank you for having me." and with a pop, Dumbledore disappeared, leaving Harry and Remus alone in the damp, dank cottage.


	2. Chapter 2

Sirius Black strode through the street quickly, looking for Peter Pettigrew. He became swarmed with observers who gaped and pointed at his strange clothing. The old Sirius Black would have laughed and hosted a magic show, but not now. The prankster was gone, replaced by Padfoot, who was devastated at his pack being lost.

"Peter!" He roared, spotting his target cowering near a department store, "Avada Kedavra!" He screamed, letting his anger flow through him, brandishing his wand. "You betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort!" He screamed, shooting nonverbal curses at Pettigrew as he closed in on his target. "Avada Kedavra!" Sirius yelled again, "Crucio! Sectumsempra!" Each time Pettigrew summoned cars towards him, stopping Sirius's curses with shields.

"Sirius, stop!" Wormtail yelled frantically, "I didn't want to betray them! He was winning! I only wanted to live! He said he would spare the five of us!"

"SHUT UP!" Sirius roared, "Nothing can excuse selling out your friends!"  
"What would you have done if he came after you?"  
"I WOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY MY FRIENDS! CRUCIO!" Sirius hollered. "AVADA KEDAVRA! How could you do this?" Sirius asked the air as he broke down weeping. A pop was heard as an auror apparated onto the scene. Wormtail's eyes widened as he saw opportunity. Wormtail broke down crying and screamed,

"Lily and James, Sirius, How could you?"

"PETER!" screamed the dumbfounded Sirius as more aurors and Ministry officials apparated onto the scene.

"Wormtail!" Sirius gasped as he brandished his wand, "Sectum-"

"Stupefy!" cried out the voice of Cornelius Fudge, knocking Sirius to the ground. No one noticed as Pettigrew cut off his finger and transformed, exploding a gas line quick as sound, all while Sirius was captured. Sirius broke down and sat, laughing hysterically as the Ministry dragged him away.

184 miles away, Remus Lupin was struggling.

"Bloody hell," he muttered under his breath as he attempted to change Harry's diaper.

"Stupey Pie!" gurgled the joyful toddler as he played keep away from Remus, who then departed to open the door for a visitor. "Un'ca Moo'ey, who dis?" questioned Harry as Remus and Albus Dumbledore strode over to Harry.

"Remus,' Dumbledore sighed, "it seems that I was unfortunately right. Sirius Black was the Potter's Secret Keeper. I wish I could have come under better circumstances, but alas-" Dumbledore was cut off from his apology by a heavy sob from Remus, who collapsed on the meager sofa bordering Harry's crib.

"No…" He muttered, lost in thought, "Professor, I truly believe that Peter was the betrayer. Sirius, he seemed so sincere that Peter killed them…"

"I believe I was correct, in assuming that Black brought Harry to you in a last act of loyalty to his old friends." Dumbledore sighed gravely, "However, I believe it would be best if I let you raise Harry," Dumbledore continued, "and that brings me to the other matter I had come for, the reading of James and Lily's Will."

"When and where will the Will Reading be?" Remus asked heavily.

"The benefactors of the Will will attend on Sunday of next week, at ten, at Godric's Hollow. Preceding the Will Reading, we will lay James and Lily to rest." The old wizard sniffled as he finished the sentence.

"We will be there." Remus promised.

"We are here to read the Last Will and Testament of James and Lily Potter." The old priest began, "To our friend and godfather to our son, Sirius Black," an audible gasp was heard at the mention of the man who had become more hated than Lord Voldemort himself, "We leave 20,000 galleons and first right of custody of our son, Harry James. To Remus Lupin, we leave an estate in Hogsmeade, second right of custody to Harry, and 100,000 galleons, to ensure access for the Wolfsbane potion for years to come." The crowd erupted in whispers as people began to move away from Remus at the mention of his lycanthropy. "To our friend Peter Pettigrew, we leave 10,000 galleons, an apartment in London, and if needed, custody of our son. To Severus Snape,"

"What!" Remus cried as the greasy, hook-nosed man emerged from the shadows.

"Ahem!" The priest reprimanded the werewolfs behavior, "To Severus Snape, we leave 1,000 galleons, fourth right of custody of our son, and 30,000 more galleons on the condition that he finishes Lily Potter's work on the improvement of the Wolfsbane Potion, allowing werewolves to cure lycanthropy." Remus removed himself from the restraint of Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt and sat down, crying softly.

"I need not the galleons," Snape stood up to say, "I will finish this potion as respect to Lily alone." He raised his drink, "To Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived."

"The Boy Who Lived." repeated the crowd solemnly.

"To Frank and Alice Longbottom, we leave 10,000 galleons, and third right of custody to our son, Harry." The priest said, "To Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore, we leave 10,000 galleons to be used to improve the running of Hogwarts and end prejudices of all kinds within the school. To the Order of the Phoenix, we leave 5,000 galleons to be used to protect Britain from future threats, and to any and all worthy finders of the Marauders Map we leave the necessary capital needed for a joke shop " The priest continued, while all of the Marauders' old schoolmates cracked a smile, "We leave the rest of our estates and wealth to our son, Harry James Potter, and finally, we both leave one more thing, for Severus Snape, both James and Lily Potter leave," The priest drew up a breath, "an apology." At this point, Snape collapsed on the ground, sobbing,

"I'm sorry Lily! No more Mudbloods! I'll, I'll protect him! I promise!"


End file.
